Ward system based on the
first-past-the-post (FPP) voting will certainly do some good towards cleansing
Sri Lankan politics as it is now the time for the much maligned PR system to go
out. If PR system cannot be completely discarded with, at least a mixed system
could be a good starting point.
By Gamini Abeywardane
There are strong signs that much postponed Local government elections are to be held at last. Both President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe have indicated that these elections could be held by December or January.
However,
going by developments since the expiry of the term of the local government
bodies, those in the opposition seem to be quite skeptical about these
promises. For them it’s a case of seeing is believing and nothing short of
official declaration of elections will convince them.
Amidst
protests by the Joint Opposition (JO), government postponed these elections
citing the delay in delimitation of wards and electoral reforms as reasons.
Meanwhile, critics mainly from the JO have been saying that the real reason for
the postponement was the government’s inability to face elections due to
growing unpopularity among masses. They were agitating that elections should be
held under the old system without waiting for electoral reforms.
All
political parties have looked at the issue in the way that is most advantageous
to them. With the current wave of
problems it is natural that the governing parties will find it difficult to
face any elections. Out of the two governing parties the, SLFP which is
suffering from a major internal split will have the biggest difficulty when it
comes to facing elections.
Most of the
former members of the local bodies are with Mahinda Rajapaksa faction of the
SLFP and they seem to believe that they have the biggest electoral advantage
whatever political party they may contest the elections from.
Most of those
former members also have the necessary financial clout to fight elections and
it would definitely be in their advantage, if the elections are to be held
under the existing PR system. That is the very reason they have been fighting
their tooth and nail for obtaining early elections without waiting for
electoral reforms.
In this
background the efforts by the government to postpone these elections are quite
understandable. If they wish to continue doing so it is not impossible for them
to find another loophole in the electoral system to further postpone the
elections.
However, in
a democracy there is a limit to postponing such elections and sooner or later
they have to be held and that is probably a factor that has influenced both
President and Prime Minister to hint that LG elections would be held by
December or January.
Meanwhile,
delimitation report has already been submitted and the proposed legislation
reforming the current electoral system is also before the parliament. What has
been proposed is a mix of 40 percent Proportional Representation (PR) and 60
percent first-past-the-post (FPP) system. And there are also proposals to
increase women’s participation up to 25 percent.
Ward system
based on the first-past-the-post (FPP) voting will certainly do some good
towards cleansing Sri Lankan politics as it is now the time for the much
maligned PR system to go out. If PR system cannot be completely discarded with,
at least a mixed system could be a good starting point.
PR system
has been frowned upon and criticized by many as it has often destroyed even the
unity among members of the same political party. Its inherent confrontational
nature has on many occasions led to infighting, assault and even murder.
PR also has merits
Despite
criticism PR also has its own merits although demerits have outweighed merits
according to our own national experience. It gives value to each vote as
opposed to winner-takes- all situations often found in the FPP system. That is
why it is often preferred by minority groups and small political parties.
On the other
hand in local elections the ward system will provide the good candidates a
better chance of getting elected as election will mostly depend on one’s
reputation in his or her locality. The question of throwing money and winning
votes will not arise because good men with little or no money will also be able
to contest and win since even house to house campaign is possible in a ward
which is generally a small area.
Another
negative aspect of the current system that has been often highlighted by many
people is the disadvantage of not having a particular member to address the
issues of a given locality because under the PR system the entire district is
considered as one electorate.
The PR system also gives corrupt candidates
who are unpopular in their own locality the opportunity to win votes from the
rest of the district by throwing money. Thus, the system facilitates the easy
entry of undesirable elements that have no education, but enough funds to
spend.
These are
some of the reasons that triggered the call for reintroduction of the ward
system in local government elections based on first-past-the-post voting.
While it is
morally wrong and undemocratic to restrict the voting rights of the people, a
government that came into power on a promise of changing the electoral system
has a greater responsibility to hold elections on the modified system.
Moreover, if
the intention of the government is to cleanse the electorate as promised and
ensure that better quality representatives are elected to the local bodies, there
should not be any intentional delay in holding elections. And if elections are
to be held by the end of the year as currently speculated they should be held
on a mix of PR and first-past-the-post systems.
Controlling corruption
This could
be the starting point to reduce corruption which now has taken alarming
proportions. The PR system makes it mandatory for anyone contesting even local
elections to spend a huge sum of money for the campaign. Thus, the system
encourages anyone so elected to earn money through undue means or to give
political favoures to supporters who have financed the election campaign
enabling them to make more money.
Increasing
female representation also will indirectly help to bring down corruption as
women tend to corrupt less compared to men. They are also likely to spend less
for their election campaigns while their presence in the councils will also
influence the men who are in majority to behave well.
While the
ward system will give the people a better opportunity to eliminate those who are
corrupt and unsuitable the first opportunity for selecting good men lies with
the political parties that nominate them.
So, it is
important to have some guidelines and a proper selection criterion when
preparing nomination lists and, if the political parties are genuine about
cleansing the system, they should begin the process by nominating the most
suitable candidates. ‘Code of
Ethics for Nominations’ prepared and presented by PAFFREL and accepted by
all political parties can provide some guidelines in this regard.
Our political leaders have to admit that if corrupt members
are elected a greater part of the responsibility should go to the political
parties that nominate them. The voters alone cannot fight corruption if
political parties continue to nominate corrupt men as their candidates and ask
the people to vote for them.
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